State Chapters > Arizona

Court rules nearly 98,000 Arizonans whose citizenship hadn't been confirmed can vote the full ballot

(1/3) > >>

rangerrebew:

Court rules nearly 98,000 Arizonans whose citizenship hadn't been confirmed can vote the full ballot
Story by SEJAL GOVINDARAO, Associated Press • 9h

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled Friday that nearly 98,000 people whose citizenship documents hadn’t been confirmed can vote in state and local races, a significant decision that could influence ballot measures and tight legislative races.

The court’s decision comes after officials uncovered a database error that for two decades mistakenly designated the voters as having access to the full ballot. The voters already were entitled to cast ballots in federal races, including for president and Congress, regardless of how the court ruled.
 
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, and Stephen Richer, the Republican Maricopa County recorder, had disagreed on what status the voters should hold. Richer asked the high court to weigh in, saying Fontes ignored state law by advising county officials to let affected voters cast full ballots.
 
Fontes said not allowing the voters who believed they had satisfied voting requirements access to the full ballot would raise equal protection and due process concerns.

The high court, which leans Republican, agreed with Fontes. It said county officials lack the authority to change the voters' statuses because those voters registered long ago and had attested under the penalty of law that they are citizens. The justices also said the voters were not at fault for the database error and also mentioned the little time that's left before the Nov. 5 general election.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/court-rules-nearly-98-000-arizonans-whose-citizenship-hadn-t-been-confirmed-can-vote-the-full-ballot/ar-AA1qVTLl?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=c9f3343eae6c45ffb050c4ba05954224&ei=32

rangerrebew:
The value of citizenship continues to die. 

A question:  Can non-citizens visiting Arizona at the time of an election vote?  If not, why not?

mystery-ak:
98,000 Arizonans whose citizenship had not been confirmed can vote full ballot
By
Ross O'Keefe
September 20, 2024 10:23 pm
.

The Arizona Supreme Court will allow 98,000 people who aren’t confirmed citizens of the United States to vote in state and local races, it ruled Friday.

Officials had previously discovered a mistake in the state’s voter rolls in which those voters were allowed to vote the full ballot despite having pre-1996 driver’s licenses, which don’t qualify as proof of citizenship.

Arizona’s Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Stephen Richer, the Republican Maricopa County recorder, couldn’t come to an agreement about what to do with the voters. Richer cast the issue to the state Supreme Court, advising Fontes ignored Arizona law by telling county officials to let affected voters cast full ballots.

Fontes didn’t believe that disenfranchising the voters would cause there to be equal protection and due process concerns given the voters believed they could vote the full ballot.

Ultimately, the court agreed with Fontes and said the county officials don’t have the authority to change the voters’ statuses and had already registered long ago under the penalty of law that they are citizens.

The court maintained that the voters were not at fault for the database error and noted the little time before the Nov. 5 general election.

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/state/3162165/98000-arizona-citizenship-not-confirmed-vote-full-ballot/

mountaineer:

--- Quote ---Arizona’s Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Stephen Richer, the Republican Maricopa County recorder, couldn’t come to an agreement about what to do with the voters.
--- End quote ---
Denying non-citizens a vote didn't occur to anyone?

Cyber Liberty:

--- Quote from: mountaineer on September 21, 2024, 01:57:55 pm ---Denying non-citizens a vote didn't occur to anyone?

--- End quote ---

These are not Illegal Aliens, they are people who have lived here for many years, but have Driver's Licenses that predate the Real ID Act, which requires proof of citizenship.  I got mine when I renewed my license about 4 years ago.  I needed a Birth Certificate and some mailed utility bills.

The AZGOP had filed a suit to prevent these folks from being removed from the Registration roles.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page